Location
{ About the project }
Area
Status
Project author
Awards
Almaty, Kazakhstan
333 m²
realized
ARCHICA 2023 – 1st place, KERAMA MARAZZI 2019 – 4th place
Vassilyadi Marina, Victoria Usacheva, Irina Lee, Zhaniya
Vassilyadi Marina
Photographer
We’d like to share our five-year collaboration with this brand — starting from its very foundation.
In 2017, a long-time client approached us with an idea to open a café in a newly built shopping mall. The location was ideal: the unit had entrances both from the street near the mall's main entrance and from inside the shopping gallery. There was also easy access to the service parking area at the back.
The space featured large stained-glass windows on two facades. On the mall side, there were no existing partitions, which allowed us to design the layout from scratch using materials of our choice. At that stage, the café didn’t yet have a name or a clear concept — other than the idea of offering affordable Italian cuisine. The client had no prior experience in the food and beverage sector, especially on this scale, so we supported them actively throughout the process — both with creative guidance and practical help.
In 2017, a long-time client approached us with an idea to open a café in a newly built shopping mall. The location was ideal: the unit had entrances both from the street near the mall's main entrance and from inside the shopping gallery. There was also easy access to the service parking area at the back.
The space featured large stained-glass windows on two facades. On the mall side, there were no existing partitions, which allowed us to design the layout from scratch using materials of our choice. At that stage, the café didn’t yet have a name or a clear concept — other than the idea of offering affordable Italian cuisine. The client had no prior experience in the food and beverage sector, especially on this scale, so we supported them actively throughout the process — both with creative guidance and practical help.
Since then, and especially in the early stages, we’ve carried out a wide range of work for the brand: developing the logo and visual identity, creating a complete interior and exterior design project, supervising its execution, managing procurement, and producing visual materials like banners, test menus, and the main food and drink menus.
We also designed additional areas, summer café layouts, a street kiosk, a photo zone, and even a mobile ice cream cart. The interior has been refreshed every two years with our continued involvement.
We also designed additional areas, summer café layouts, a street kiosk, a photo zone, and even a mobile ice cream cart. The interior has been refreshed every two years with our continued involvement.
The first step was to define and separate the service area, which covers 63 sq.m. The ceiling height allowed for the construction of a mezzanine-level storage area above the kitchen.
A 2.5 sq.m. vestibule was added to help regulate temperature differences between indoors and outdoors.
The bar area occupies 15 sq.m. of the main hall, while the dining area for guests spans 105 sq.m. and accommodates 61 seats. The outdoor terrace and summer veranda provide additional seating for 66 guests.
The venue also includes a restroom with two stalls and a shared boudoir area.
A 2.5 sq.m. vestibule was added to help regulate temperature differences between indoors and outdoors.
The bar area occupies 15 sq.m. of the main hall, while the dining area for guests spans 105 sq.m. and accommodates 61 seats. The outdoor terrace and summer veranda provide additional seating for 66 guests.
The venue also includes a restroom with two stalls and a shared boudoir area.
{ Planning }
About the Restaurant Interior:
Marzo is a collective image of warm, homely hospitality inspired by the remote southern provinces of Italy.
The interior blends simplicity and authenticity, reflecting family values and a zest for life. This is expressed through the use of natural, accessible materials, straightforward construction solutions, and cozy furniture in cheerful colors.
The interior blends simplicity and authenticity, reflecting family values and a zest for life. This is expressed through the use of natural, accessible materials, straightforward construction solutions, and cozy furniture in cheerful colors.
Choosing the atmosphere didn’t take long — the restaurant is located in a shopping mall called MART Village, which centers around farmers’ markets and artisanal shops. Naturally, the café took on the same name in Italian. The interior philosophy draws from the charm of small southern Italian farming villages.
The overall aesthetic evokes a provincial Italian mood — a mix of shuttered homes and spacious hangars waiting to store the next grape or olive harvest. We filled one of those “hangars” with tables and life, playing with a blend of loft and Mediterranean styles.
The overall aesthetic evokes a provincial Italian mood — a mix of shuttered homes and spacious hangars waiting to store the next grape or olive harvest. We filled one of those “hangars” with tables and life, playing with a blend of loft and Mediterranean styles.
{ About the Restaurant Interior }
The main walls, as well as the bar area, are finished with exposed brickwork. The materials include solid wood and narrow planks in a dark, aged finish. The service doors and restroom doors are styled as rustic barn doors.
Light, transparent partitions are made of profiled metal tubing with a mix of four different types of glass panels. Flowers and greenery — essential to any southern European interior — fill every corner of the space.
The chandeliers above the bar were custom-made according to the designer’s sketches, using metal, pipes, and buckets. Except for the chairs, all furniture was also custom-built based on our drawings.
The restaurant floors evoke the feel of southern Italian villas, combining wood textures, floor bricks, and decorative accents made from majolica tiles and colorful mosaic patterns. These flooring compositions divide the dining area into functional seating zones, each with its own mood and identity.
Shelves around the hall are filled with vintage decor, books from our personal library, and small figurines. We even gifted some of the houseplants to the space — that’s how lovingly we approached this project. Maybe that’s why the restaurant has remained popular with guests for years and received praise from interior design professionals — despite the fact that it doesn’t rely on complex structures or high-tech innovations.
Bathrooms:
In the restroom, classic white and black ceramic tiles were used — featuring historic shapes and laid using traditional methods. Their texture and charm are accentuated by black grout lines, and paired with the warm, rustic surfaces of natural red brick and white painted wood.
The boudoir area has a special character thanks to white doors with louvered inserts, adding a touch of softness and vintage charm.
The boudoir area has a special character thanks to white doors with louvered inserts, adding a touch of softness and vintage charm.
The wallpaper pattern was custom-designed specifically for this venue and is echoed throughout the branded elements — including cups, menus, and staff uniforms.
Brand Identity:
Alongside the interior design, the VMVdesign bureau also worked on the brand’s identity.
One memorable moment was during the logo development process. We kept trying to convince the client to choose a different version. It was their first venture on the scale of a full restaurant, and they were understandably nervous and hesitant at every step.
While the interior design was approved on the first try, the logo went through nearly 25 versions! In the end, the client chose one of the weaker options, in our opinion. We pushed hard for a different version during final approvals — but sometimes it’s not possible to persuade.
Still, that didn’t stop MARZO from becoming one of the best-loved places in its district.
One memorable moment was during the logo development process. We kept trying to convince the client to choose a different version. It was their first venture on the scale of a full restaurant, and they were understandably nervous and hesitant at every step.
While the interior design was approved on the first try, the logo went through nearly 25 versions! In the end, the client chose one of the weaker options, in our opinion. We pushed hard for a different version during final approvals — but sometimes it’s not possible to persuade.
Still, that didn’t stop MARZO from becoming one of the best-loved places in its district.
Before the grand opening, we created a design for test menus. Once the restaurant found its rhythm, we developed the full versions of the food and drinks menus.
Summer Terrace:
The restaurant’s entrance, canopy, and colonnade bring a distinctive charm to the space — inspired by late 19th-century Italian and French architecture.
A large illuminated sign is visible from the nearby street intersection, making the venue stand out.
A large illuminated sign is visible from the nearby street intersection, making the venue stand out.
To the right of the main façade, we designed a summer veranda in the same stylistic language.
You can read more about it on the project page: Exterior – Summer Café MARZO.
You can read more about it on the project page: Exterior – Summer Café MARZO.
Process:
After completing the design project and brand identity, VMVdesign oversaw the implementation of the concept — including full procurement and fit-out support.
The official opening of Marzo Italian Café took place in December 2017.
In the years that followed, we continued working on the brand’s development — expanding the dining areas, designing photo zones, a street kiosk (see project in EXTERIORS – MARZO Kiosk), and much more.
And just like that, five years of collaboration flew by.
In the years that followed, we continued working on the brand’s development — expanding the dining areas, designing photo zones, a street kiosk (see project in EXTERIORS – MARZO Kiosk), and much more.
And just like that, five years of collaboration flew by.
Awards:
The interior of MARZO restaurant won 4th place at the International GRAND PRIX Kerama Marazzi Competition in 2019 and was awarded 1st place at the International Architecture & Design Leaders Awards during the ARCHICA 2023 Congress.
Our customers have left a video review of VMVdesign, it can be viewed on the Reviews page.